Focusing on Kevin Johnson’s underrated NBA career
Kevin Johnson is easily one of the NBA's most underrated players of all time. The former Phoenix Suns point guard was named to the All-NBA Second Team four times and the All-NBA Third Team once.
He made three trips to the All-Star Game and won the league's Most Improved Player award in 1989.
"KJ" is one of only three players to average at least 20 points and 12 assists in a single season. Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Isiah Thomas are the other two. He's also one of three players in history to average 20 points and 10 assists in three consecutive seasons. Oscar Robertson and Thomas were the first two players to accomplish the feat.
Johnson was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the seventh overall pick in the 1987 draft. The University of California product began as a backup to Cavs starter Mark Price. But midway through his rookie season, he was traded to Phoenix, where he would play for the rest of his career.
Kevin Johnson - Cleveland Cavaliers (1987-88)
The #Cavs selected Johnson with the 7th pick in the 1987 NBA Draft. In February of his rookie year, Johnson was traded to the #Suns in a 7-player deal. KJ played the rest of his career with Phoenix. https://t.co/CoCdebOeL0
1988-89 was Johnson's first full season with the Suns. The Sacramento, California, native averaged 20.4 points and a career-high 12.2 assists per game.
The following season, he posted averages of 22.5 and 11.4 assists while earning the first All-Star selection of his career. Phoenix upset Magic Johnson's top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers during the Western Conference Semi-finals, but wound up losing to the Portland Trail Blazers in the Conference Finals.
NBA Finals appearance, a dunk on Hakeem and a brief retirement
During the 1992-93 campaign, Johnson and newcomer Charles Barkley powered the Suns to the league's best record (62-20). They later reached the NBA Finals, but fell to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in six games.
Johnson averaged 20 points and 9.5 assists during the 1993-94 regular season and 26.6 points and 9.6 assists in the playoffs. Speaking of those '94 playoffs, KJ came up with one of the most unforgettable dunks in NBA history, throwing it down over Houston Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon.
OTD (94) Kevin Johnson did this to Hakeem! https://t.co/VgXPCdoHyX
Johnson later retired following the 1997-98 season. However, he made a comeback in 2000 as he filled in for the injured Jason Kidd. He then retired for good after the 2000 playoffs.
KJ, who averaged 17.9 points and 9.1 assists in his career, is yet to be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He battled injuries at times, but he's a legend who deserves to make it to Springfield one day.